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Monday, November 23, 2009

Meatless Monday: Holiday Pancakes with Cornmeal, Apples & Cinnamon!

I know that all the food networks, magazines and blogs are spewing out hundreds of holiday recipes for you try this coming Thanksgiving, but I ask you one very important question!

Is anyone concerned about what you're going to cook the morning AFTER Thanksgiving?

Once all the hoopla has died down, and you've ingested more than enough turkey to last you two lifetimes, don't you want to wake up to one more delicious meal to be shared with family and friends? Not to mention the fact that many of us are hosting tons of visiting relatives and guests - it's practically like you're feeding an army! Don't wake up in a cold sweat, worried that all your food resources have abandoned you after the holiday!

The Diva is here to help with another fabulous recipe! Now we all love pancakes and they're perfect for feeding a lot of guests, but who wants to make the same, old boring pancakes on a snazzy Holiday like Thanksgiving? So throw away your mix (you don't need it anyway), and try out this fabulous recipe I whipped up yesterday for breakfast!

Not only is this recipe vegan (and I promise no one will be able to tell if you don't mention it), but I make it with a mixture of whole grain flour and cornmeal, which gives it a big boost of healthy grains and fiber, making these pancakes extra satisfying. The apples also provide a serving of fruit, and combined with the cinnamon, they imbue this recipe with the flavor of fall. I recommend topping these pancakes with good maple syrup and preserved or fresh fruit, or if you're feeling extra frisky, stewed apples!

A neat trick used in this recipe is that instead of the customary buttermilk, apple cider vinegar adds that nice kick to the batter. I used a great organic apple cider vinegar, Johna's Organic Orchard, which I purchased at my local farmers market. It tasted delicious in this recipe!

Also, starting with this recipe, I'm including nutrition information! Give me feedback and let me know if this feature is helpful to you!

Place the diced apples in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds to soften. Set them aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond milk, the maple syrup and the apple cider vinegar and mix together. Set it aside.

In another bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix together. Then, add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir together until there are no lumps. Be careful not to over beat! Add the apples to the mixture.

Heat a frying pan or griddle to medium to medium-high heat. Coat the cooking surface with vegetable oil or spray (I prefer grapeseed oil). Pour a scoop of the mixture in the center onto the hot surface and cook until small bubbles appear in the top surface. Using a spatula, flip the pancake and cook for another minute. Remove to a plate. Repeat until all the batter is used.

Serve immediately along with good maple syrup and preserved or fresh fruit. Enjoy!